The present invention relates to a shutter assembly with movable louvers. More specifically, the present invention relates to a coupling mechanism for pivotal engagement of a louver to the frame of a shutter panel.
Shutter panels employing movable or pivoting louvers for admitting a desirable amount of light and/or privacy are well-known in the art. Generally, a shutter panel has a rectangular frame which includes a frame opening. A plurality of louvers, all of which are typically identical, are disposed horizontally within the frame opening. The coupling of the louvers to the shutter frame is a common concern for the design of shutter assemblies having movable louvers. It is highly desirable to have a coupling mechanism that is operable for the life of the shutter, that provides good frictional drag characteristics, and that enables the louvers to smoothly and firmly rotate or pivot about an axis to a specific position and be maintained there.
Various coupling mechanisms attempting to achieve the above goal have been designed. Notably are those found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,003 issued to Henley, Sr., U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,391 issued to Briggs, Sr., U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,551 issued to Swapp, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,386 issued to Alexanian, et. al. These patents each disclosed a mounting pin for mounting the louver to the shutter frame. The mounting pin includes a cylindrical shaft portion adapted to engage the louver and a head portion adapted to rotatably engage the frame. When the louver is so coupled to the frame, as long as the louver is fixedly engage to the cylindrical shaft, a rotation of the louver would cause the head portion to rotate at its point of engagement to the shutter frame. Furthermore, the above systems also include mechanisms to control the rotation of the head portions within the shutter frame such that the positions of all of the louvers relative to the frame are maintained. Over time, the engagement of the cylindrical shaft with the louver may become worn from the periodic adjustments of the louvers. Once the contact between the cylindrical shaft and louver is loose, a cylindrical shaped shaft has no holding power over the louver, so the louver may rotate freely upon the cylindrical shaft. The position of the louver relative to the shutter frame can no longer be maintained.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,837 issued to Cleaver, et. al. discloses a mounting pin 20 having a bladed shaft, various views of which are shown in FIGS. 1-3. Mounting pin 20 includes a louver engaging end 21 and a frame engaging end 23 separated by a spacer 25. Louver engaging end 21 includes a cylindrical portion 26 having two rectangular blades 27 extending in opposing directions therefrom. Louver engaging end 21 is adapted for press fitting into a receiving slot (not shown) included in a louver and retained therein by interference forces. Pinion engaging end 23 includes a collar 28 which is adapted to rotatably engage the shutter frame. Similar to the above discussed disclosures, mounting pin 20 couples the louver to the frame by having louver engaging end 21 to engage the louver and frame engaging end 23 to rotatably engage the frame. With use, the receiver slot included in the louver may enlarged and lessen its grip on louver engaging end 21, at which time blades 27 would provide the hindrance preventing the louver from rotating freely. Hence, the inclusion of rectangular blades 27 at louver engaging end 21 provides a solution to the problem experienced by mounting pin designs having only cylindrical shafts.
Mounting pins 20 have been shown to perform satisfactorily with louvers made from wood but not with louvers made from some composite materials. Wood and fiber composites have been recognized as construction materials for louvers. These composites are low in material cost, and can be fashioned into louvers of different shapes besides straight planks that are readily made of wood. Additionally, louvers made from wood composites, after the application of a finish paint coat, are essentially indistinguishable in appearance from louvers made of wood. However, composites lack the structural integrity of wood. It has been shown that press fitting a mounting pin, like pin 20, into a composite louver is likely to initiate a crack at the point of insertion. This cracking causes aesthetic and structural concerns.
Accordingly, there is a need for a coupling mechanism for mounting composite louvers to a shutter frame without causing damage to the louvers.
The present invention provides a coupling mechanism that employs at least one drive pin for mounting a louver to a shutter frame. The drive pin includes a louver engaging end adapted to engage the louver and a gear engaging end adapted to engage the shutter frame. The louver engaging end includes a plate-like body that, in a preferred form, is characterized by having a partly arcuate perimeter and a face. The lower engaging end is designed to slip fit into a complementary slot included in the end of the louver and retains therein by friction. Because of the complementary fit, the drive pin does not exert pressing stress on the louver and therefore it is less prone to cause splitting or cracking damage to the louvers.
One object of the invention is to provide an improved mounting pin for mounting of louvers constructed of fiber composites to a shutter frame.
This and other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments.